The present invention relates to an automatic analysis system. More particularly, it relates to an automatic analysis system that is preferable for being used as a specimen-transferring mechanism and the specimen-transferring mechanism equipped with a plurality of analysis modules.
Conventionally, in an automatic analysis apparatus for analyzing such samples (i.e., specimens to be analyzed) as blood and urine originating from a living body, the analyses have been performed using the independent apparatuses corresponding to these samples. In recent years, however, an automatic analysis system including a specimen-transferring line connected to a plurality of analysis modules has come into use in order to enhance the operation efficiency in an examination room.
However, in the conventional automatic analysis system including the plurality of analysis modules, if, out of the plurality of analysis modules connected collectively to the specimen-transferring line, one analysis module becomes incapable of executing the analysis for some reason or other, problems occur in the system. That is to say, even if the maintenance of the analysis module having become analysis-incapable is finished, in order to try to ascertain whether or not the analysis module is analysis-capable, the entire system is brought to a stop and the above-described analysis module is connected thereto so that the confirmation of the analysis performance can be executed. It is required to stop the operation of the entire system while it is confirmed as to whether or not the repaired analysis module is normally operated. As a result, the system gets behind in the analysis work.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic analysis system that, if one module out of a plurality of analysis modules becomes analysis-incapable, the analysis-incapable module can be repaired and the operation of the repaired module can be confirmed, without stopping the entire analysis system.
(1) In order to accomplish the above-described 1st object, the present invention provide an automatic analysis system having a plurality of analysis modules and a transferring line for transferring specimens to these analysis modules, an arbitrary analysis module out of the plurality of analysis modules analyzing the specimens transferred by the transferring line, wherein, during the analysis operation by the entire analysis system, each of the analysis modules is made controllable as a standby state, i.e., as a single-body analysis module in a state of being independent and being cut off from the control of the entire analysis system (as a standby state, in being cut off from the control of the entire analysis system, as a single-body analysis module, and independently).
Even if one module out of the plurality of analysis modules becomes analysis-incapable, the configuration as described above allows the analysis to be continued without stopping the entire analysis system.
(2) Moreover, in the above-described explanation (1), preferably, after finishing the maintenance of the analysis module cut off from the system, the analysis module is returned back to the entire system, thereby allowing the entire system to be analysis-capable as a whole.
(3) In the above-described explanation (1), preferably, when the analysis module is in the standby state, the analysis module is provided with an operable operating unit.
(4) In the above-described explanation (3), preferably, the analysis module is provided with a connector and, through this connector, the abovedescribed operating unit is made connectable with the analysis module.
(5) In the above-described explanation (1), preferably, the above-described analysis module is provided with a 2nd specimen-locating unit that is independent of the above-described specimen-transferring line.